“And you should watch over the matzos…” (Shemos 12:17)
The sefer Talelei Oros brings a chassidishe maaseh that was repeated to the Brisker Rav.
There was a rebbe who was baking matzos, careful to incorporate all kinds of hiddurim. Alongside him was a simple Jew also baking his matzos. (This wasn’t a modern matzah bakery, rather a public facility where people could come and use the oven.) The simple Jew felt inadequate; all he knew how to do was to mix the flour and water, roll the dough and bake it. He started to cry and the rebbe heard him say, “HaKadosh Baruch Hu, I only know how to make regular matzos. Please, can You make sure that I get the most mehudar matzos possible?”
Then this simple Yid put his matzos into the oven. (Rav Yisrael Reisman, Shiurim al Chumash)
Our neighborhood kollel was making a siyum haShas, and the yungeleit and their families were invited to a beautiful evening in a catered hall replete with music and singing.
Many chashuve talmidei chachamim stood up and spoke about the glory of the evening, and the tremendous accomplishments of each avreich in the kollel.
Sitting on the women’s side, I felt myself being pulled in by the power of the speakers’ words, feeling pride in being part of this.
The rebbe, hearing this Yid’s plea, came over to the man and he said, “Reb Yid, I will trade my matzos for yours. I want your matzos. Your tefillah has given your matzos the ultimate enhancement!” And the rebbe traded his matzos for the Jew’s simple ones.
Suddenly Yitzi tapped me on the shoulder. “Look,” he motioned to a corner near the mechitzah. “Reuvy is crying.”
